Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross says formal talks for renegotiating the North American Free Trade Agreement likely won’t take place until later this year. Ross is hoping however the discussions won’t take longer than a year. R-CALF CEO Bill Bullard says it’s positive the talks likely won’t be held until later because it gives everyone time to work out the important details.

Ross says several chapters need to be added to the decades old agreement with Mexico and Canada. He says rules of origin will be a big topic in those talks. Bullard is pleased to hear that.

He’s also glad to hear preliminary discussions are going on between the administration and lawmakers and says he’ll be speaking with them as well early next week.

Ross says the administration has yet to give Congress formal notice that the NAFTA talks will be reopened.